This application is based on Patent Application No. 11-322967 filed in Japan, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a film scanning system and a storage medium recorded color matching program. The present invention particularly relates to a film scanning system and a storage medium recorded color matching program capable of color matching in accordance with film characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, image digitalization has progressed rapidly in recent years due to the popularization of personal computers and digital cameras. On the other hand, images photographed using conventional analog silver halide film cameras can be practically digitized, and film scanners can be effectively used for this purpose.
Color matching art for matching colors among devices has become extremely desirably in conjunction with the colorization of so many imaging devices. Image input devices including film scanners are not exceptions, and color matching an original film image and the image displayed on a CRT is desirable when an input image is displayed on an output device such as a CRT (cathode ray tube) or the like. For this reason the color matching function often has been provided in film scanners in recent years.
In systems capable of incorporating various input and output devices, a means is required for knowing the characteristics of the connected devices in order to realize color matching. Such a means is being determined in a scheme using a file recording device characteristics (profiles) in a format called the ICC profile determined by the international color consortium (ICC).
In the case of a film scanner, the input film (i.e., film to be processed) may be a positive film or a negative film. Positive film is itself the ultimately appreciated medium, and there is no particular problem in color matching the film as a target. However, negative film is only an intermediate medium which is printed on printing paper, and color matching the film as a target is meaningless. The color matching process is particularly meaningless because there is no color in a monochrome negative film. Such a meaningless process increases the time required for image processing.
In scanners provided with a conventional color matching function, when color negative film is processed, a color balance process is executed to reverse the tones of the read image and correct the coloring of the negative beforehand to improve color reproducibility. In addition to these processes, a color matching process is performed for color conversion. However, the various processes performed for positive film are also directly performed for negative film. Since the tone characteristics are obviously opposite for positive film and negative film, the spectral characteristics of the coloring matter used also differ. For this reason correct color matching cannot be attained when using the processes of positive film directly for negative film. Furthermore, A result of performing the color matching process makes it unclear relative to what the color matching was performed.
On the other hand, when processing negative film in the case of scanners which are not provided with a color matching function, the tones are reversed, and a color balance correction process is performed. Although a sufficiently appreciable image may be obtained by such processes, color matching cannot be completely ensured.
Accordingly, in the conventional art, meaningful color matching is not provided when reading color negative film whether the scanner is provided with a color matching function or the scanner is not provided with a color matching function.
An object of the present invention is to provide a film scanning system and recorded medium recorded color matching program capable of suitable color matching in accordance with film type.
These objects are attained by the film scanning system of the present invention comprising film scanner for scanning an image recorded on the film; a discriminator for discriminating a type of film; a selector for selecting a profile for use in color matching based on the discrimination result of the discriminator; and image processor for performing the color matching based on the selected profile.
These objects are further attained by a storage medium on which is stored a program implementing the steps of: discriminating a type of film to be scanned; selecting a profile for use in color matching based on the discrimination result in the discrimination step; scanning an image recorded on the film; and performing the color matching based on the profile selected in the selection step.